Stephanie Delmanto owner, 200 hour yoga teacher
Stephanie Delmanto began practicing yoga in 1992 from a book entitled Richard Hittleman’s 28-Day Yoga Exercise Program that she found on her parents’ bookshelf when she was bored. She had no idea what this yoga was at the time but became hooked as soon as she began the lessons. Her practice eventually brought her to yoga teacher training in 2000 with her teacher Paula Padmasri Tepedino. She began teaching in 2001, starting out at KS Fitness and Toms River Fitness as, at the time, there were yet to be any yoga studios founded in the area. She has since taught at various gyms and yoga studios for the past 20 years, sometimes supporting other studios in their teacher training programs, and, more importantly, studying with various teachers and delving into a variety of spiritual healing modalities. She has traveled in both the US and India to learn more about spirituality, yoga, meditation, and inner healing and is excited to open Sanctuary Yoga and Meditation in Ocean County to recreate some of her favorite healing experiences in one special place. Stephanie will be teaching beginners through advanced asana classes as well as basic Sanskrit, meditation, pranayama, deep relaxation, yoga sutras, and mini-retreats at the studio to help students deepen and solidify their practice in a community setting.
Stephanie is also a Reiki Master Practitioner, a certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, has a BA in Mathematics, and tutored math for 20 years.
Michele Martone sound healer
Michele Martone is an elementary art teacher in Toms River. She earned her BFA in Photography from Parson’s School of Design and her BA in Art Education from Kean University.
Michele began her journey into sound meditation when she sought to heal from the high levels of stress that she and other educators were facing on a daily basis. She saw the need to take the time to meditate and calm her body and mind to improve the quality of her life.
Now her goal is to help as many people as she can through sound meditation to improve their lives as it has hers.
Kevin Leblanc, zen meditation instructor
Kevin Genjo LeBlanc is a Zen Buddhist Lay Monk.
Ordained in 2016 into the Order of the Great Lights, Jizō-an Monastery in Shamong NJ by his teacher Stephen Seijaku Reichenbach.
Genjo is a practicing monk that still lives and works in the world along with co-raising his 14yr old daughter.
His daily work of the monastery includes teaching meditation and offering Dharma discussions, and duties of the Tenzo (cook)
He also works with recovering addicts and alcoholics offering the Buddhist teachings as an additional tool for recovery.
The essence of life is characterized by one force; the endless succession of now. This moment to moment existence…An explosion of movement, even in the seemingly still void.
Every single thing in the cosmos lives under this order. Everything is of the nature of birth and death.
From a Buddhist understanding; we are the dance of form called human. The unique aspect of human beings is our ability to recognize consciousness; not only to recognize this truth, but to actualize it (to make it real) in the individual and collective reality.
Which is ultimately not individual or collective.
If you want love; be love.
If you seek peace; be peace
Everything else is desire wearing a mask.
Genjo
Suzanne Barckley LMT, RYT 200 hr
Suzanne has been a licensed massage therapist since 1998. She is an Alliance Certified Yoga teacher and a Reiki Master. She was inspired to become a yoga teacher when she participated in a Kundalini weekend workshop. Her interest in yoga was to learn new ways to help clients become balanced and open muscularly. She still remembers the feeling of high vibrational energy that changed her physically, mentally, emotionally and yes spiritually. Amazed by the power of yoga she began training and has Loved the journey of being a student of yoga for over 20 years. Being given the permission to practice self care and to create space to heal what needs nurturing is a gift we all deserve to experience this lifetime. The truth is we create our best self through the practice of being present. We grow through returning home to ourselves on & off our matts daily. Let us share this time tested practice together and create a more peaceful world.
Suzanne is honored to hold space for others to heal their own hearts though yoga & mindfulness. She enjoys sharing therapeutic massage, Reiki, crystal bowl sound therapy, Kundalini chanting, meditation, pranayama and chakra balancing.
Gabrielle Brokaw is an RYT200 Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Instructor. Her Yoga
journey began in 2014 as she was seeking relief from work-related stress and chronic
neck and shoulder issues. Diving deeper in to both the physical and spiritual practices,
Gabrielle found Yoga to compliment her recovery from alcohol and drugs. Clean and
sober since 2012, Gabrielle believes her Yoga practice has deepened her commitment
to healing. “Recovery has saved my life, and Yoga has enriched it.” After completing a
200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and leaving a 9-year career in retail management in
December of 2018, she has dived in to teaching and embraces the joys and challenges
that being a Yoga teacher may bring. Gabrielle was taught to always say “Yes” to both
Recovery and Yoga, to be available to be of service, and to remain teachable. Her
journey has given her the gift of deepening and broadening her spiritual connection.
Gabrielle discovered the magic of Y12SR in April of 2020 through online offerings and in
September 2020 took the 20-hour Y12SR Certification course with the founder, Nikki
Myers. She is now a Y12SR Certified Leader and Space Holder. She believes in
practicing and teaching safe, mindful Yoga, and hopes to help anyone seeking healing,
strength, balance, and self-discovery through Yoga.
Alivia is a 200 hr yoga teacher and reiki Practitioner who is currently beginning to venture into Ayurveda Coaching. She 200 hr yoga teacher.
I am a registered yoga teacher. Reiki Practitioner and currently beginning to endure deeper into Ayurveda Coaching. She trained to be a yoga teacher with Maura Fields and Louisa in 2021/2022. She now currently teaches trauma sensitive yoga for people who have a desire to continue their healing journey. Living in her purpose, She continues to be open to the magic of this amazing yoga cosmic journey.
Barbara began her yoga journey about 15 years ago. She walked into a yoga studio, and she was hooked. Yoga became a guiding light in her life. She studied yoga at Kula Kamala and earned her 200-hour certification. Then wanted to continue her spiritual journal and ventured into a 30-day immersion yoga training in Costa Rica where she earned her 500-hour certification. Her experience in Costa Rica was life changing.
Barbara teaches yoga from the heart. She wants to share her amazing journey and teachings with everyone she meets. Barbara lives her yoga. It is a way of life for her. She follows the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. She also uses the 8 limbs of yoga to guide her life and teaching.
Barbara is also a teacher of third grade elementary school children. She shares her beautiful gift of yoga with her students and colleagues in the school where she teaches.
Life can be challenging but yoga teaches us to live in the present moment and to be grateful for each and every moment. We are truly blessed. One of my favorite quotes is by Thich Nhat Hahn…”Every moment is a gift of life. With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in the moment.” Namaste
Shirley Barbosa embarked on her yoga journey in 1995 at Ramapo College of NJ, where she discovered the transformative power of breath and movement. Shirley immediately felt she had found prayer for her body. With a keen interest in both the physical and spiritual dimensions of yoga, she found the practice particularly beneficial for enhancing focus and relaxation through moving meditation, breath work and shavasana.
In 2000, Shirley became a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. She managed to work full time for many years, sharing her practice and desire to help others along their fitness paths and yoga journeys. After transitioning to part-time work to focus on her family, she taught in both the class setting and one-on-one. Shirley’s experience includes working with children of all ages, adults and seniors. She recently relocated and is seeking to become part of the local yoga community here in Toms River.
Shirley’s classes emphasize pranayama, tailored asana flows, and mindful listening to one’s body. She advocates for a balance between effort and ease, culminating each session with a final meditation in shavasana. Her intention when teaching is that each yogi leave feeling grateful for the sacred space they carved out for themselves. She hopes that each yogi gains the strength and flexibility necessary both on and off their mats. NAMASTE
Sensei Craig start practicing Aikido at the age of 15. After that dojo closed, he moved on to various other martial arts, including Wing Chung and various forms of Karate, but always missed Aikido. In the late 80s Sensei happened to find Long Beach Island Aikikai and spent over 10 years studying there. After leaving LBI, Sensei founded Center Point Aikido and has continued to practice and instruct Aikido for over 30 years. Sensei is a member of both the International and United States Aikido Federations, and Center Point is a Federation member dojo.
In professional life, Sensei holds a BS in Computer Science and has worked as a software engineer in both private and government sectors since 1988.
